New York Rangers Daily: 2 games for kids to impress; Canadiens can clinch with win
The standings points won’t mean anything for the New York Rangers in the final two games this season. Not now. Not after they’ve already been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention for the first time in four seasons.
But there are some things for individual players to play for, beginning Monday when the Rangers visit the Florida Panthers and then Thursday when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden.
Take for example Matthew Robertson. The 24-year-old defenseman will make his NHL debut Monday, — six years after being a second-round draft pick by the Rangers and after four seasons toiling in the American Hockey League with Hartford. He’s got two games to show that he’s got some NHL promise before the Rangers decide whether to sign the pending restricted free agent who has arbitration rights.
Small sample size for each side is better than zero sample size.
Coach Peter Laviolette said that top prospects Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann will get back into the lineup now that the Rangers are officially out of the race. Each should play in the top six and get substantial minutes. Even if there are substantial issues in their game, let each work through ups and downs at the NHL level before the summer arrives. Especially Perreault, who’s only played three games since turning pro after Boston College was knocked out in the NCAA Tournament.
How great would it be if Othmann can finally break through and score his first NHL goal? Yes, that’s a rhetorical question. It’d be really great. The 2021 first-round pick has come close a bunch of times in his 20 games this season. Maybe he can head into the offseason with a good vibe.
Just because those kids are coming in shouldn’t mean others should be coming out of the lineup. Brett Berard? Keep him in there. Juuso Parssinen? Play him. Zac Jones? Yes, him too.
As for the veterans, let Artemi Panarin try to reach 40 goals (he’s got 37) for the second straight season and 90 points (he sits at 89) for the fifth time with the Rangers. As for the others, if anyone’s banged up — like Braden Schneider — there’s no reason to dress them. If everyone’s healthy, really there’s no reason to play Chris Kreider nor Mika Zibanejad is there?
That’s the sad truth of where we are at to close out the 2024-25 season two months too soon.
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New York Rangers news
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NHL news and rumors
In case you missed it, Gabriel Landeskog scored his first professional goal since June 20, 2022 (Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final) when he tipped home a shot for Colorado of the American Hockey League against Henderson on Saturday. He was playing his second game in three years after returning from multiple knee surgeries.
The Rangers are no longer the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners. Their reign ended officially Sunday when the Winnipeg Jets clinched the best regular-season record in the NHL. Interestingly, the Jets did so when the Washington Capitals lost their game to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and then Winnipeg went out and lost 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers.
Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg left that game after a Connor McDavid one-timer hit him in the knee. Jets coach Scott Arniel was optimistic Samberg will be OK moving forward.
Stud defenseman Zeev Buium officially signed his entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild on Sunday and could make his NHL debut against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
How about those Blue Jackets. Though they’re hanging on by a thread in the Eastern Conference playoff race, they won their fourth straight game and swept a weekend home-and-home against the Capitals with a 4-1 victory in Washington on Sunday.
Despite the Blue Jackets’ surge, the Montreal Canadiens can clinch the second wild card in the East with a win of any kind against the Chicago Blackhawks at home Monday. It would be their first playoff appearance since losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
Ivan Demidov is expected to make his NHL debut with the Canadiens on Monday. He joined the team Sunday after signing his entry-level contract once the KHL season ended.
New Jersey Devils forward Paul Cotter will have a hearing with NHL Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head of Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech on Sunday.
Ilya Sorokin returned from a lower-body injury to make 25 saves and lead the Islanders to a 1-0 win against the Devils.
The Calgary Flames are not going away in the Western Conference playoff race. They defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-2 for their third win in four games, and can still finish anywhere from seventh to ninth in the conference.
Two of the bottom feeders in the East met Sunday, and it was the Boston Bruins that skated past the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1.
Tim Stutzle scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to lift the Ottawa Senators to a 4-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Watch Alex Ovechkin score his 896th career goal for the Capitals in their loss to the Blue Jackets.
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